Leveling instrument.



G. W. FOGELSONG. LEVELING |NSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 6. 1915.

Patented Mar. 27

Suva/nto@ N lil LEVELING INSTRUMENT.

application mea Januaye, 1915. serial No.

To all 'wiwm z't-mag/ concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. FoGELsoNG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Idaho Falls, in the county of Bonnesville and State of'Idaho, have invented certain new and useful vImprovements in LevelingInstruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ments.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a leveling instrumentof a construction which will eliminate the use of the well known spiritlevel which at best gives the operator but a general idea as to the trueangle or verticality of the particular plane involved.

Another object of my invention is to provide a leveling instrumentwherein no easily breakable parts, such as ones of glass, areunprotected, and wherein the particular angle of a plane may beascertained by observing indicating means at the side or top of thearticle.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a levelinginstrument which is simple in construction, eiicient in operation anddurable in use and capable of being easily manufactured at low cost.

With these and other objects in view, my invention relates to suchdetails in construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as willbe illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspeciiication and set forth in the claims.

Figure l illustrates an embodiment of my invention in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top edge or plan view of the embodiment of my inventionvantage the sight opening;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,; i

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 4 4' of Fig.2, and

Fig. 5 is a erspective view of my preferred form o indicator.

In .the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similarparts throughout the views.

The preferred embodiment of my invention consists of a stock 1 which hasa central sight opening 2 provided therein. The opening 2 communicateswith a recess 3 extending completely through the stock withln levelinginstruthe recess 3 is a hollow container or Specication of LettersPatent.

showing to ad-v 1. Seated.

Patented Mar. 27, 191'?.

ses.

casing 4 which is flatly cylindrical in configuration and which isconstructed of transparent material such as glass. Casing 4 flue to itscylindrical form has two side walls extending at a right angle to thewalls 5 and 6 1s a peripheral wall 4. The sa 5c walls are disposedwithin the recess -with their outer faces flush with the surfaces of thesides of the stock l. Provided at the center of the side walls on theirinner surfaces are bearing notches 8 and 9. Opening 2 is of less widththan the stoel; 1

In the casing I mount an indicator 11 which is formed a single piece offlexible wire and is provided with indicator inem bers 12 extendingtransversely of the stock and container and terminating short of eachother. The indicator 11 has side arms 13 which are bent inwardly at 11and outwardly and then inwardly to form bearing portions 15. embers l2are terminations These portions 15 converging portions 17 which areconnected by a transverse portion 18 on which is mounted a weight 16. Onthe peripheral wall fl is provided an outwardly extending neck 19normally closed by a stopper 20 removably fas- A quantity of equilibrantor is preferably contained In order to enable the angle of the plane inquestion to be ascertained, suitable graduations or indications 21 areprovided on the peripheral wall 4 of the casing and indications orgraduations 22 are provided on either or both of the sides of thecasing, to coperate with the indicator. The stock 1 is preferably cutaway at 23 to provide a 13 to slide in while positionlng the containerin proper posibservation through opening 2. Plates 24 may extend acrossthe sides of the container and be fastened as by screws 25 to the stock,in order to secure the container within the stoc In assembling theparts, the container while empty has the indicator inserted through theopening at neck 19. In view of the fact that this indicator isyieldable, the arms 13 may be moved toward each other so as to renderthe indicator bendable to a slight width in order t0 pass through theopening at the neck. The arms 13, after the indicator is within thecontainer, will yield away from each other at the bearing portions 15 sothat the bearing portions 15 will extend into the bearing notches 8 and9. Thus the spring action of the indicator maintains the bearingportions l5 in engagement with the notches. After the indicator has thusbeen inserted into the container, the equilibrant 21 is poured thereintoand the stopper 20 is I then applied to the opening of neck 19.

Thereupon the casing is moved transversely of the stock 1 so that thecontainer will move into recess 3 and the neck 19 will move into groove23. After the container is thus mounted, the plates 24 are screwed tothe stock. As far as fastening of the container is concerned, but asingle plate 24 need be provided, and this one be fastened on the sideof the stock where the groove 23 opens. However in addition to servingas fastening means, the plates 24 serve as guards or shields for thecontainer to prevent fracture, and therefore two of the plates 24 arepreferably provided.

In use, the stock 1 is placed against the de- -ed surface. As thebearing portions 15 pifotally mount the indicator in the bearingrecesses 8 and 9, this indicator will always seek the vertical. In Orderto promptly steady the indicator, the equilibrant 21 is provided. Theweight 16 is provided to maintain the indicator in a vertical positionand when the indicator vibrates rapidly, the equilibrant acts on thearms 17 thereof and on the weight to quickly steady the indicator. Inascertaining the angularity of various planes, the stock of coursetogether with the container moves relatively to the indicator whereby,the different indications at 21 and 22 will be brought opposite themembers 12 so that the correct indications may be observed through thesight opening 2 or at either side of the stock.

As merely the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. A level having afrangible casing, an indicator within said casing, means to cause saidindicator to seek the vertical, a stock provided with a recess in whichthe casing is positioned and provided with a groove, said casing havingan extension for insertion of the indicator and an equilibrant, saidcasing being positioned in said recess, and said extension beingpositioned in said groove to prevent turning of the casing relative tothe stock.

2. A level having an indicator casing, an indicator within said casing,astock member provided with a sight opening, a recess communicating withthe sight opening, one of said members having a groove, the other ofsaid members being provided with an eXtension, said groove extending butpartly across its respective member, said casing being mounted in saidrecess below the sight opening, and said extension being mounted in saidgroove, said casing having indications on one side of the casing securedto the stock, and the said fastening member securing the casing in placewith the extension in the groove and leaving substantially the saidgraduations only, exposed.

3. A level having a casing, said casing being provided with an opening,an indicator yieldable for insertion through said opening, means tomount the indicator interiorly of the casing, and means to cause saidindicator to seek the vertical.

4. A level having a casing provided with bearing means interiorlythereof, said casing being provided with an opening, an indicatorinsertible through said opening, means to cause said indicator to seekthe vertical, said indicator having a plurality of relatively movablearms, and means on one of said arms to engage said bearing means.

5. A level having a casing, said casing being provided with an opening,an indicator insertible through said opening into the casing, means tocause said indicator to seek the' vertical, said indicator beingyieldable for contraction while passing through the opening, andmeans tomount the indicator within the casing.

6. A level having a casing, an indicator within the casing having arms,said arms being relatively yieldable and provided with indicator membersat their free ends, said casing being provided with indications withwhich said members register during use, each of said arms being providedwith a bearing portion, means to mount the bearing portions on thecasing, means to weight said arms, and means to connect the arms andmount the last mentioned means.

7 A level having a casing, said casing being provided with an opening,an indicator insertible through said opening having relatively movablearms, means to weight the arms at one end, bearing portions provided onthe arms, said casing being provided with means to pivotally mount saidbearing portions, and an indicator member being provided on one of saidarms.

8. A level having a casing, said casing being provided with anopeningand with ing portions spring for pivotal mounting, and one ofsaidfirst mentioned arms being provided with an indicator member toregister with said indications.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of twowitnesses.l

GEORGE W. FOGELSONG. Witnesses:

OSCAR JoHANNEsEN, L. A. HARTUT.

